


Fading Light

by TinyCurlyFry



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: A lot of the major cast come in eventually, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Found Families, Silver Dragon Angus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-20 01:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16546484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyCurlyFry/pseuds/TinyCurlyFry
Summary: There are very few things that can invoke fear the way magic does. It is a powerful thing used only by monsters and demons. Though... some believe there are those who are granted magical abilities as well, born from the gods themselves. As such, these beings are given the name demigods. These stories, however don't scare Angus McDonald. There isn't much reason for him to, being a dragon himself. And, when he comes across a collection of research logs on demigods and their various abilities, he immediately finds himself enthralled with the underlying mystery contained in them. The author of these logs was looking for something, or someone. Not to mention the mystery of how Taako came to acquire them. Or why the books seem to mean so much to this wandering chef?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! This is going to be the story I'll be focusing on for Nanowrimo! I'm not expecting or planning to come anywhere close to 50,000 words, but my hope is to be able to write around 30,000 by the end of the month. Even that I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to do, but that's the goal~
> 
> This Au strays Faaar from the canon, but still definitely contains spoilers for the events and characters of TAZ Balance, just to warn anyone who may not have reached the finale.

There were certainly times when Angus wondered whether he should continue travelling with caravans, or at the very least this specific one. It wasn’t that he disliked travelling and seeing the world, seeing everything the world had to offer was one of his greatest wishes. He didn’t even mind being with such an… interesting group of people. The problem lied in the fact that his human form didn’t exactly command respect from the other travellers. If anything it made him a target, yet he was quite happy with the way he was. It felt like him. And so, it was often that he’d find himself shoved around and, on particularly bad days, stolen from. 

Today was one of those particularly bad days. He sighed as he got up from his bedroll, his coin purse considerably lighter when he lifted it from underneath his blanket. If he trusted a single person in the caravan he might have gone around questioning potential witnesses to the theft, but he doubted any of them were particularly honest folk. Nor did he think he’d get sympathy from them. He would be told that it was his fault for not keeping a tighter hold on his possessions. There was some truth to that, but Angus doubted he could truly stop them. Trying to take his mind off of his new money shortage, he glanced over to a large plume of smoke and steam that was rising from one of the campfires. Seated besides it, the group’s newly recruited cook was already handing out breakfast for some coin.

The elven cook had only been with them for a short span of two days, but he already chatted with the caravan as though he’d been travelling with them for months. Long blonde hair tied in a braid and bizarre brightly colored clothes swung with each movement he made. He was currently lounging among a small crowd, waving a spoon animatedly as he talked. Hardly any time would pass between the hearty waves of laughter that from the elf’s audience. Angus supposed the cook must have immense experience with working a crowd and making a place for himself amidst strangers. He seemed to have a good system already in place. The caravaners would pay for a cooked meal that obviously went far beyond what the common rations were, and in return everything but his ingredients were provided for him. Within the caravan, the cook already had a good number of patrons, and he’d even seen townsfolk come out to their camp for a meal.

Angus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Oh, it smelled amazing. Even from where he stood the air was filled with the sweet smell of maple and bacon. He considered the few coins in his purse still. Though he didn’t know the exact price, he was fairly sure he still had enough to afford the breakfast. Angus just hoped he’d be able to find some farmer nearby who’d be willing to pay him for some small job. 

The smell was already convincing him it was worth it.

He approached the well-dressed elf somewhat timidly, not knowing how he would respond to Angus interrupting the spirited conversation he was in the middle of. However, as he neared the elf turned his head and gave Angus a smile, “ ‘Morning, pumpkin. Want a plate?”

Angus nodded, “Oh, yes please, sir. It smells amazing! How much are you charging?”

He didn’t give Angus a response, and instead loaded a plate with a piece of bacon, a fried egg, and a spoonful of fried apples. He handed the plate to where Angus stood, practically drooling. “There you go, the best breakfast you’ve probably had in years. Or maybe your life, I don’t know.”

Angus blinked as he had the plate put in his hands, on top of the coin purse he had been holding. 

“Now hold on just a moment, elf.” A gruff, irritated voice called.

“The name’s Taako, my dude.” Taako answered, a challenging look in his eyes betrayed the smile still on his face.

“The brat needs to pay for that food. He’s no more special than the rest of us, so he pays just as the rest of us did.”

Taako looked unfazed by the angry, large human now looming over him, “Well I suppose if we’re going with that rule, I should give him two more plates. How much did ol’ hairy pits here steal from you, hun? A handful of coins, for sure. I bet it was at least the equivalent of three gold pieces.”

He had snapped his gaze on a dwarf wearing a dark sleeveless tunic. Angus held back a laugh, knowing he’d be made to regret it he so much as smiled at Taako’s jab. The dwarf visibly reddened as he huffed, “Excuse me?”

“Kind of pitiful, if you ask me; Having to steal from children to get by in the world. I think the boy’s earned at least a breakfast. Any objections?” He scanned the group of men, who suddenly struggled to meet eye contact with Taako.

He nodded at Angus, “Enjoy the food, lil man. No better cooking round these parts than that of yours truly.”

Angus fumbled, nearly loss for words, “Th-thank you, sir. That’s uhh…. Very kind of you!”

Taako made a face and pushed the front of Angus’ hat lower on his face, “Yeah, yeah. Get out of here and eat the damn food already. It’ll be wasted if you let it get cold.”

Angus immediately obliged, and hurried away from the now tense crowd. As he ate the breakfast, which somehow was even more delicious than it smelled, he couldn’t stop himself from looking over to Taako every now and then. Taako had resumed talking with some of the other caravaners, and just as effortlessly and relaxed as before. While the previous tension was gone, Angus thought there was a slight smugness in Taako’s expression as his gaze moved through the people around him amidst their conversation. Not once, however, did he look over to Angus. Angus couldn’t help but wonder if he was deliberately making a point of not looking at him.

\-------------------------

Much to Angus’ relief, a farmer had taken pity on him and offered to pay him to collect supplies and deliveries from a few places in the city. The general goods store had a shipment of seeds and feed for him, while the blacksmith had repaired or replaced his older and more worn down tools. The feed was the hardest to transport, as Angus had to make multiple trips to carry the heavy bags from the store to the farm. The farmer didn’t quite trust him enough to supply him with a horse and cart. Angus didn’t blame him. However, while his strength and endurance was impressive enough to warrant praise from the farmer, Angus was still thoroughly exhausted by the time the sun was low in the sky. He was just grateful the intensive labor had restored the weight of his coin purse. He smiled fondly at small bag as he caught his breath in the shade of a tree just outside the boundaries of the town. He had a feeling Taako wasn’t going to risk the hostility of the group by giving him a second free meal. He really hoped the rest of the caravaners wouldn’t chase him off, he had already found himself looking forward to the elf’s cooking. His stomach let him know as much when he had bought a ration for himself at midday. Somehow Angus doubted that even if he had payed for a decent meal at one of the taverns that it would be remotely comparable to their new cook’s skill.

A large shadow cast over Angus suddenly, and a frown set on his face as he looked up. He was already expecting it to be one of the caravaners here to hassle him, maybe even steal some of his earnings as punishment for the humiliation that morning. Much to his surprise though, it wasn’t the gruff dwarf or any of the other crueler members of the caravan. He looked up to see Taako standing over him, studying him. His expression was hard to read in the shade of his large wide-brimmed hat. “Looks like you found yourself a pretty good gig today.”

“Ah! Y-yes, a farmer hired me to run some errands for him. I’m lucky he was so generous in payment.”

Taako flicked the brim of Angus’ hat, “Good for you. You know, I could use an errand boy myself in this moment.”

Angus perked up, his fatigue from the day forgotten, “I’d be glad to be of help, sir! What would you have me do?”

Taako unslung the bag over his shoulder, dropping it promptly in front of Angus. Angus’ arms flung forward to catch the bag before it could hit the ground. “Just carry that back to camp for me. I’ll even walk with you, it’s just that it’s far too heavy for me to carry myself.”

Angus tested the weight of the sack in his hands, and found himself struggling not to let out a laugh. He looked back up to Taako, “It’s ummm… really not that heavy, Taako sir.”

“Well that means it should be easy for you, right? Don’t see why you’re already complaining about it if it’s so light.”

“I wasn’t--” Taako turned and started walking down the path leading out the town.

Angus sighed, mumbling a bit to himself. He was a bit put off by the rude action, but he supposed everyone in the caravan was bound to be a bit of a jerk. At least Taako still seemed comparatively nicer than the others.

Angus scrambled to his feet and hurried to fall in pace behind Taako, the sack softly bumping into his back with each step. He assumed the bag must contain a number of ingredients for cooking, as he could feel a variety of objects of different softness and size through the rough material.

He cleared his throat, hoping to strike small conversation as they made their way towards the camp. “So… What were you planning on cooking for tonight? The breakfast you’d made was really good!”

Taako hummed, “I haven’t quite decided. Gotta let your muse hit you in the moment, you know?”

“I’m not sure I do.”

The elf shrugged, “A damn shame. All talented folk are guided by their gut feeling. You got any hobbies, kid? Any passions at all?”

“Sure! I love reading whenever I can! I always look for libraries or bookshops whenever we go to a new place! I love to learn about new tales and… and anything really!”

Taako paused and shot him a look, “That might just be the most depressing answer you could’ve given. You’re passionate about ‘reading’?”

Angus pouted, slightly wounded, “Well sure! One can never be done learning, and there are just so many interesting things to discover in books!”

“Word of advice, kid? You might wanna re-evaluate how you’re living life.”

“I’m quite happy with how I’m ‘living life’, thank you very much, ‘sir’.”

“That include getting your money stolen by shitty low-lives?”

Angus visibly shrank at that, a little embarrassed, “No…”

“Another sparkling piece of wisdom from ya boy Taako: don’t let people shit on you like that. Because right now? You might as well be wearing a sign that says ‘please slap me with the biggest handful of shit you got’. And people are going to absolutely jump at that opportunity.”

Angus wrinkled his nose at the imagery, “I think that analogy is a bit of an exaggeration, sir.”

“Nope. Look, the sign is right there.” He poked Angus’ chest with a finger.

Angus looked down with an irritated frown, only to have Taako flick his nose in an upperwards movement. “See? Asking for it.” Taako said with a chuckle.

His frown became a scowl as he rubbed his nose with his free hand, but he didn’t give a reply. Taako rolled his eyes and patted the cap on Angus’ head. “I’m just telling you how it is. The world practically gobbles little kids like you up. It’s a cruel place to be all out on your own.”

Angus shrugged and shifted the bag on his shoulder, “I’m not that little of a kid. I’ve been able to hold my own so far.”

Taako tilted his head in consideration, “I suppose there’s something to that. So why choose to travel around with such a scummy lot, though?”

He couldn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped to the ground in front of him, “Well...I want to travel the world. It’s the best way to learn all you can, right? And… It feels better to be travelling with other people. Even if they’re…”

“The worst?”

Angus laughed a little at that, but shrugged, “They’re not the worst. Just assholes.”

Taako snorted, “That’s for sure.” He paused. “I understand not wanting to be stuck in the shitty wilderness by yourself. As small as you are, you’d probably have to worry about not being eaten.”

Angus let out a breath, “I can hold my own, sir, honestly.”

“Sure, kid.”

Angus tried not to pout stubbornly again, but a realization came to him, “Oh! It’s Angus, sir! Sorry, I…I probably should have introduced myself before now? I’m Angus Mcdonald.”

Taako raised an eyebrow at Angus’ offered hand, but took it with a snicker. “Nice to meet you, Agnes.”

Angus’ mouth twitched, “Angus.”

Taako’s back was toward him again, “Uh-huh, D'jangus. Got it.” 

“Still not it, sir. I’m not even sure that’s a real name?”

Taako waved a hand dismissively, not even giving him another glance.

“You know, normally after someone introduces themself, you’d introduce yourself as well.”

“You already know who I am.” Taako said matter-of-factly.

“Not your last name.”

“Taaco.”

Angus brought himself besides Taako, “Just Taako? No last name?”

“That is my last name, hun. It’s spelled differently. First name has a k, last name a c.”

Angus sputtered incredulously, “You’re trying to tell me your name is Taako Taaco?”

“Yup.”

“You understand that I find that very hard to believe, right?”

Taako shrugged, grinning, “Believe what you want.”

They were approaching the first few wagons of the caravan now, and Taako lifted the bag from Angus shoulder, “Thanks for the help, kid. You’re an absolute lifesaver.”

Angus stopped and blinked, not expecting the sudden parting of ways. He was about to call out that Taako hadn’t paid him for being his pack-mule, but something in him made him drop it instead. It really hadn’t been that hard to carry, and he admitted he had enjoyed walking back with Taako.

It turned out Taako’s muse that night had inspired him to make a soup Angus wasn’t familiar at all with. He could tell there was asparagus and lemon and a lot of other seasoning in it, but more noticeable was how unbelievably smooth and creamy the soup was. It left him feeling full and warm, more so than any meals he’d had recently. Angus wasn’t sure if he was just imagining it, but he thought the serving Taako gave him looked bigger than the other servings handed out. He wasn’t about to bring attention to that, however. Instead he gave an extremely contented sigh as he dipped his slice of bread into the last of the soup, appreciating Taako’s kindness quietly from his tiny spot in the camp.

That night, Angus made sure to hold his coin purse close to him. He eventually slid under his blankets, mind swirling as he reflected on all that had happened that day, belly fuller than it had been in a long time. Without realizing it, he found his gaze searching the camp for where Taako was retiring. He spotted him after a minute or two. It took longer than he expected, for instead of being somewhere among the others in the camp Taako was rather removed now from the rest of them. Angus probably wouldn’t have even seen him, sitting quite a ways away from the light of any of the campfires, if Taako didn’t have a small lantern lit beside him. He seemed to be staring at a small book in his hands, but from this distance he couldn’t tell what. Angus had to push away his curiosity, it would be rude of him to stick his nose into Taako’s business. So instead he rolled over underneath his blanket and made himself comfortable for the night. As he closed his eyes he couldn’t help but smile. There certainly were times when Angus wondered whether he should stick with the caravan, but he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be so bad anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd meant to post this yesterday, but immediately fell asleep upon getting home from classes yesterday. Woops. Anyways, I hope you enjoy~

Taako took note of every detail around him. He took note of the barbaric and unsavory crowd of merchants engaging townsfolk around him. He took note of the way the dark green leaves of the forest beyond the camp moved. High at its peak, the sun didn’t seem to ever get caught behind the clouds, even though there were a few scattered against the pale blue sky. It shone on everything down below in an intense light, as if giving aid to Taako’s already sharp elven eyes. There were even a few times he spotted a brave deer or rabbit that decided a grazing spot near the camp was worth the danger of being in proximity to the bustling activity of the caravan. Taako would be the first to admit he was wasting time doing nothing important, but that was hardly his fault. There wasn’t anything to do in this quaint town. There was no juicy gossip, no treasures to be found. No clues towards finding his sister or even Barold Mc Fashion Disaster. He was bored out of his mind.

Even with that being the case, he absolutely wasn’t wasting his time trying to figuring out where that kid had gone. Nope. What the kid did with his time wasn’t any of his fucking business. Why should he care? He didn’t, and that was that.

He didn’t care that he hadn’t seen the kid since the brat had asked for a serving of his cooking this morning, in that overly polite, way too happy demeanor. So what if Taako hadn’t see him in or around town when he had gone to buy a few more ingredients before the troupe of merchants headed out tonight? He couldn’t expect to see one kid who could be anywhere in the town doing some small job. Just because Angus seemed to be doing errands for the same farmer the past two days didn’t mean Taako was necessarily guaranteed to catch sight of him. 

The fact that he was scanning the whole camp now, taking note of every detail of his surroundings was out of pure, overwhelming boredom, nothing more.

But, it was damn annoying. The way that kid couldn’t help but remind him of the time he and Lup had been outcast. Taako was too familiar with the cruelty brought down on those who found themselves out on the road so young. Watching that first night as one of the merchants took advantage of the unguarded sleeping child to steal a handful of coins had flared a disgusted anger in him. How fucking desperate did someone have to be to steal coin from a literal child? It wasn’t even that he was above stealing himself. Stealing is a way of taking from those who just simply don’t deserve certain possessions as much as he does, but Taako prided himself with having fucking standards, and like, the smallest sense of decency.

That didn’t mean he was going to babysit the kid for god sake, though. Taako had to learn the harsh reality of the world and how to kick its ass right back, so Angus What’s-His-Name would have to learn too. He needed to be able to take care of himself when Taako couldn’t be there to have the kid’s back. He was a nerdy little thing, and unfortunately wasn’t blessed with the godly magic powers Taako and his sister had. Granted, it was never something they could use to defend themselves openly, but the two of them had more than enough talent and finesse to pull some tricks unnoticed. He was… getting off track. The point was, Angus was just a normal kid out on his own, and-being the only kid out on his own in this small area-it was unfortunately hard for Taako not to notice his absence. 

And then the sun sank lower in the sky, and the camp was still kid-less. Taako fidgeted, keeping himself occupied by making sure all his stuff was accounted for and securely stored for travel. He also kept an eye out to make sure none of the asshole caravaners decided to touch Angus’ stuff. An impatient clear of the throat sounded above him just as he finished putting his bedroll in his pack. Annoyance laid behind Taako’s unamused gaze as he looked up to see a dragonborn stand over him, “Is there a problem?”

The dragonborn tilted his head, “Yes, in fact. When exactly were you plann’n on doing your job and cooking dinner, elf? We can’t wait all night, we’re hitting the road again tomorrow. Understand?”

Taako waved his hand dismissively, “I got my own packing to do, brosky. I’ll have dinner in the works momentarily, no need to get all cranky.”

The dragonborn bristled, “Excuse me?”

Taako continued to look at him blankly, “Oh you’re excused. You actually happen to be taking up the space I need to do my cooking.”

That certainly didn’t seem to lessen the Dragonborn’s anger but he did in fact storm away, sweeping up dirt in Taako’s face with his tail as he turned. Taako used the end of his cape to wipe it off, disgust twisting his face. “Really got me there, wow.” He murmured when he knew the dragonborn wouldn’t hear him, “The prime example of a big macho alpha male. Look at me, quaking from having a bunch of dirt tossed at me.” 

Taako, however, did begin the prep for dinner. He didn’t need any more angry caravaners barking at him about how starving they were, and how he wasn’t doing his job. He did continue to glance up every so often, scanning both the camp and the surrounding area. Just as he was putting the food in to grill on the frying pan he finally caught sight of two branches parting ways as a small boy pushed his way out of the forest. A tightness he hadn’t noticed in his shoulders alleviated and he put his full focus on the food in front of him.

A few minutes later those small feet were walking past Taako’s fire to Angus’ own spot within the camp. Taako cleared his throat. He knew without looking up it was enough to make Angus stop. “So, how’d you manage to get so lost in the woods it took you all day to get back, kiddo?”

“Oh, I wasn’t lost, sir.” Angus replied confidently, “I was just… exploring. It’s my last chance to do so before we leave.”

Taako looked up, amused. He didn’t have to be a detective like Angus to tell that the ‘exploring’ bit was an obvious lie, or at the very least not the full truth. “Most people explore after getting somewhere new, not right before they leave.”

Angus gave a nervous smile, “True, but I couldn’t prioritize exploring above making enough money to last me a while. I can’t be sure I’ll find someone willing to give me a job in the next town, especially one that doesn’t skimp out on the payment.”

Taako couldn’t argue with that. To be perfectly honesty, he was impressed that Angus was clever enough to possess that sort of logic. Most kids didn’t think that far ahead in the future, especially when it came to money.

In that moment he had a chance to really look at Angus. His hat was off-center on his head, and there were little bits of leaves and other plant matter stuck in his hair. His breathing was heavy, which surprised Taako, as it hadn’t shown when he had been speaking. He was good at hiding exhaustion, another rare skill most children didn’t possess. Taako gave a thoughtful hum, “Well, since you didn’t have the time to run errands today, how ‘bout helping ‘chya boy whip up some dinner?”

Angus blinked in surprise, “Oh I couldn’t sir! I’m nowhere near as good a cook as you are!”

Taako snorted, “Of course not, ya big flatterer, but you don’t have to be a chef to chop some vegetables. Now plop that tiny butt of yours down and try not to cut any fucking fingers off.”

Angus still seemed unsure, but he complied, “O-Okay.”

Angus dropped down into a sitting position, immediately letting out a sigh that if Taako had to guess he hadn’t intended to let escape. He gave Angus another look over, trying to figure out what the kid might have done that had tired him out so much. Angus, however, didn’t seem inclined to tell him, and Taako wasn’t too inclined to flat-out ask. Instead he asked, “So, you know anything about where we’re headed tomorrow?”

He raised an eyebrow when the sudden question seemed to yank Angus out of thought. “Huh? Oh, uhhh Phandalin. I don’t know much about it, only that It’s a little bigger than this town here.”

Taako groaned, “So pretty fucking small still?”

He gave a tired smile that was still somehow bright and sickeningly adorable, “haha, I guess.”

“Do you guys ever go somewhere that’s actually worth visiting?”

“And what kind of place would that be, sir?”

Taako made an exasperated gesture, “Some place eventful. Somewhere that actually has something new and interesting to offer.” He sighed, “If we’re lucky, some place with something out of the norm.”

He found Angus’ eyes watching him with great interest all of a sudden, “Out of the norm? Like what?”

Taako coughed. He knew what he’d meant, but it was an answer that was more personal than Angus knew. “I don’t fucking know….. something you don’t expect? It wouldn’t be ‘out of the norm’ if you knew exactly what it was, now would it?”

Angus laughed, “That’s pretty vague, sir. How would you even know which places something unexpected might happen?”

Taako stared pointedly at the pan on the fire in front of him. How indeed? He’d spent six months now trying to figure that one out, and not with much success. “Hell if I know.”

“I think I understand what you mean,” Angus said, “At least a little bit? I’d like to come across a good mystery somewhere.”

Taako snorted, “So you can reenact one of your silly books?”

Angus pouted at that, “They’re not silly! They make great mental challenges, and I’ve found that I’ve been able to sharpen my mind because of them. Also, I wouldn’t be reenacting them, each case is very unique, sir. There may be common patterns and signs to look for, but you can’t expect a mystery to have the same solution or answer as any case you’ve come across before.” 

Taako plopped some of the prepared vegetables into a larger pot, “You’re already putting me to sleep, Agnes.”

Angus rolled his eyes, “Anyway, I think that would make a place worth visiting.”

“Again, you really need to raise that bar of yours a little. Live a little more, kid. I’ll show you what makes a place worth visiting when we get to a big city.”

Angus perked up, another big and bright smile plastered on his face, “I’d really like that, sir!”

Taako choked, “Don’t hold your fucking breath. Your group of merchants here don’t exactly take into account taste when choosing their destinations.”

Angus still grinned, unfazed by Taako’s attempt to invalidate the promise, “I suppose that’s true, sir, but I still really appreciate the offer.”

\----------

That night, Taako scoured his notes and books for any mention of Phandalin. He was fairly certain he wouldn’t find anything-he never did- but he was too desperate not to check. One could never be too sure. He sighed when almost an hour of searching proved his doubts to be correct, the mist of his breath visible in the colder air of the night. Phandalin was just another place that held no clues or leads on where or how the two people closest to him had disappeared. He dropped the book he had been holding to the ground, replacing the weight in his hands with that of his head. He was so tired. Tired of constantly pulling up nothing. Tired of being so fucking alone. With every day that passed without a single clue he felt as though the search was hopeless. What slim, shriveled up hope he had left was to research any rumors or history of unexplainable phenomenons he could come across while travelling. The kind that made common folk speak in hushed, fearful voices. He didn’t have the knowledge or knack for this kind of thing as Barry had. And now he was gone too, in the same manner his sister had. Just to rub salt into the already gaping wound. No word, no warning, no sign of their demigod powers being used. It was like his back had turned and suddenly they were gone. There had to have been a lead Barry had come across before his own disappearance, that was the only reason he would have left Taako. Hard as he might try, however, Taako couldn’t figure out what it had been.

A small, concerned voice came from behind him, “Taako… sir? Are you okay?”

Of course the kid had to bother him now. Of fucking course Angus couldn’t just leave well enough alone and let him hurt in peace. “We don’t need to be dragging your tired body behind us when we hit the road, Angus, it’s past your bedtime.”

“I don’t have--” He began to argue, but he stopped, “If it’s too personal sir, I understand, I just…. couldn’t help but notice you always go through all these books and scrolls around this time. You really do look through a lot books for someone who judged me of reading a lot.” He added that last statement with a smug grin.

Taako snorted and went back to looking for any notes Barry might have taken of places near Phandalin, pretending not to give Angus too much mind. “Alright, fair shot you little shit. I earned that one.”

Angus rocked on his feet a bit. Taako knew he was expecting him to say something more, but he didn’t particularly feel like doing that. “I really don’t mean to be nosy, sir, but what is all of this?”

Taako sighed and lowered Barry’s journal to his lap, “It’s uhhh… sort of like a…. Log of magic sightings? I’m sure most of it is just people being paranoid or middle-aged coots who want to scare anyone gullible enough to believe them, but yeah.. It’s like a log of that stuff. A lot of logs, really.”

His dismissive description of the journals had the exact opposite effect on Angus than he was hoping it would. Angus was suddenly leaning very close over his shoulder, practically hanging off of him. “Oh wow! and one person wrote all of these?! You- You didn’t write all these did you sir?!”

If the kid wasn’t practically on top of him Taako would have thrown his head back in laughter “Fuck no I didn’t write these! Who do you take me for?”

Angus didn’t really address his question, “These aren’t even printed copies, are they first accounts? They’re really well done! All these diagrams and footnotes connecting to other entries, these notes are really extensive!” He pointed to one of the notes in the margins as if Taako might have somehow missed them while reading, “Who’s the author? Did you know them?”

“A huge fucking nerd wrote them, that’s who. Now off the shoulder before you strain something of mine.” 

Angus lifted his weight off of Taako, but planted himself next to him instead. He pointed to one of Barry’s other journals lying on the corner of the unrolled map, “May I?”

“I’m pretty sure if I say no you’re gonna explode, so yeah sure, knock yourself out.”

Taako supposed there wasn’t any harm in letting the kid flip through one of the journals. There was no way the kid would be able to make head or tails of the contents, and was sure to grow bored after too long. The sooner his curiosity was satisfied and he went back to sleep, the better.

They sat in silence for a while, Taako trying his best to focus on the book in his own hands and not the fact that Angus was going through Barry’s work in trying to find Lup. He had just nearly managed to bring himself to actually read the words he was staring at when Angus spoke up, “Hey, Taako, sir? The way he writes these accounts, it also feels like he was looking for something. He connects certain events together, but he also writes these analysis on what kind of magic they could be. He has these notes on different demigod abilities and capabilities, and there seems to be a certain set of signs he's looking for. I didn’t even know people researched demigods! Most people think they’re myths, and those who do believe in them usually see them as beings bent on the destruction of the world! I’ve never read anyone who actually researched them like this!”

Taako forced an aloof smile. He should have known better than to let the kid read Barry’s journals. He was too fucking smart for his own good. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all, “Yeah, it's uhhh… it’s real fascinating stuff.”

“Do you believe there are people who can do real magic, sir?”

Taako was thrown for a loop, trying to figure out the best answer to give, “Uhhhh, shit, yeah. Yeah I guess I do. Kind of hard to pass all this off as made up horse shit.” He slapped the journal with the back of his hand. “What about you, Ango? What is the world’s greatest detectives take on the possible existence of demigods that possess unfathomable power?”

“Oh I absolutely think they’re real!” but his face then betrayed his exclamation, creasing a bit, “Well, okay. Yes and no.”

Taako raised an amused brow, “It can't really be both, pumpkin.”

Angus waved his hands, “What I mean is, you asked if I believed in demigods with unfathomable power. I definitely believe there are demigods who can do magic, but I don't believe their power is ‘unfathomable’. From the looks of it, neither does the author of this book.” 

Mischievous curiosity got the better of Taako, “Would you say you’re afraid of demigods?”

Angus paused a moment in thought, and for a moment Taako feared he might have been too revealing. Or at least gone too far in some way. He struggled not to let out a sigh of relief or allow himself to visibly relax when Angus answered, “Not more than I fear anyone else.”

Taako laughed, at which Angus continued, “It doesn’t exactly take a demigod to overpower me.”

“Fair enough.” Taako chuckled, “You’re a smart kid, Agnes. Pretty fucking smart.”

A grin broke on Angus’ face, “I know.”

Taako continued to laugh, giving the kid a playful shove, “Now hold on a minute. Being a prideful shit is my thing, little man. Don’t be stealing my brand.”

Angus giggled at that, lowering his gaze back down to the book in his hands. Quiet fell between them again, but this time it was a comfortable silence. Instead of an awkward weight pressing down on his lungs and disrupting his focus, the silence was now closer to a blanket. He couldn’t bring himself to worry too much about what Angus might read in those books. Hell, maybe it wouldn’t even be a bad thing to get Angus’ help in his search.

He had managed to continue his own search through the journal he held. There had been a few accounts of arcane power near the Feywilds, but it didn’t sound like anything his sister might do if pressed to use her powers. Not to mention the Feywilds were still a ways away from Phandalin, though it was the closest and most recent bit of arcane activity recorded in Barry’s notes. Well at least that saved him from the disappointment that came with getting hopes up. 

Taako stiffened when he felt a slight weight press into his side. He turned his head just enough to see Angus leaning his shoulder and head against him, nose still deep in the journal. He looked so peaceful and happy reading besides Taako, but also tired. Taako immediately clapped the book in his own hands shut and poked a finger into Angus’ curly dark hair, “Alright, reading session is over. You need to get some sleep, Agnes.”

Angus seemed hurt when he looked up at Taako, “Just a few more minutes, Taako, please? These journals are really, really interesting. They’re written like research logs, but there’s definitely an underlying mystery, I just know there is! I’ve never read anything like these before!”

Something tugged at Taako’s chest as Angus spoke, and it wasn’t a feeling Taako liked. He decided it definitely wasn’t such a good idea to let Angus read these. It wasn’t that Taako didn’t desperately want help in his search for Barry and Lup. In truth, he was growing more and more certain he wasn’t capable of finding them himself. But at the same time, there was a new surge of certainty that he didn’t want Angus involved either. The last time he had had help from someone far smarter than he was, the guy had poofed out of existence as well. He didn’t have to be attached to the kid to not want him getting caught up in something too dangerous and disappearing as well. He couldn’t let another person disappear.

So Taako plucked the journal from Angus’ hands and began cleaning up his mess of papers and books, “Nope, sleep. Get.”

Angus still didn’t look very happy, but he sighed and got up. “Alright. Good night, sir.”

Taako paused, just about to put the last scrolls away in his bag. Man did this kid know how to make him feel like an asshole. Or, at least, a bigger asshole than he normally tried to be. “‘Night, Angus.”

“Thank you for letting me read some of that journal. I can tell they’re pretty important to you.”

Taako immediately turned himself away from Angus, moving to where he had his bedroll laid out, and shoving down the emotions that still churned in him, “Sure.”

He heard the sounds of small steps walking away, moving towards what he assumed was the direction of Angus’ own set up in the camp. Taako sighed when he was sure the kid was out of range to hear him. As he felt himself drift further away from consciousness he fought desperately to keep himself from lingering on the thought that he’d never see his sister again. Each time the thought managed to break through, it felt more and more like the truth. It hurt.


End file.
